FortSask

Updates are coming to the Canadian Grain Commission’s Official Grain Grading Guide this crop year. Following consultation with sector stakeholders through the Western Standards Committee and Eastern Standards Committee, the Canadian Grain Commission is implementing grading changes that will better meet the needs of the agriculture sector in Canada and grain buyers around the world. These are the highlights of some of the upcoming changes, which will take effect on August 1, 2023.

Severely sprouted definition for western wheat

A Fort Saskatchewan soccer team is awaiting their fate. 

The U15 Fort Saskatchewan Buster's Pizza girls' team played in a thrilling match on Wednesday (June 21) against the St. Albert Impact that ended in a 1-1 tie. 

"Both teams are very evenly matched," said Robert Hall, the vice president of Fort Sask Soccer. "We've played them during the indoor season a number of times and games have all been very close." 

A win would have solidified the girls a spot in provincials, but a draw means that they no longer control their fate. 

Canada pledged to keep a close eye on escalating tensions in Russia on Saturday as an armed rebellion threatened to divide the country's attention and forces amid its ongoing war in Ukraine. 

Authorities in Russia are trying to tamp down the rebellion led by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. The millionaire has been outspoken for months in his criticisms against Russia's military leaders, accusing them of not providing enough munitions in the key battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut. 

The Town of Bruderheim will be getting a new playground.

The playground, which has been in the works for about a year, will be set up next to the skatepark on 52 Avenue.

With Bruderheim most well-known for the Bruderheim meteorite which fell in the area back in 1960, the playground will be matching the cosmic theme of the skatepark. 

Some of the park's attractions include a moon star vehicle and other space-related equipment.

The park was expected to open in June, but due to the recent bout of rain, is now expected to open in mid-July. 

A power outage is coming to Fort Saskatchewan.

Starting on Sunday (June 25) morning, several downtown buildings will lose their power as construction gets done in the area. 

Here are the addresses that will be affected:

With June 17 being Lemonade Day, there were tons of stands set up in the area to teach youth about owning and operating businesses.

One of these stands, made by 10-year-old Ivy Liss in Morinville, helped raise funds for the Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation.

"My great uncle made me a lemonade stand," said Liss. "and I was like, 'Wait, isn't there a thing called Lemonade Day?'"

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the region. 

Environment Canada says that thunderstorms could roll through north-central Alberta this afternoon which includes Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Redwater, Fort Saskatchewan, and St. Albert. 

"Many of these thunderstorms will be slow-moving, and a few of them may become severe producing heavy rainfall and nickel-size hail," said Environment Canada in a release. 

Keep in mind that hail can cause property damage and that excessive rain could cause unsafe driving conditions. 

A Gibbons postmaster has retired after 23 years on the job. 

Louise Latawiec, 64, was hired at the Gibbons Canada Post Office as a clerk on October 1, 2000. 

"On a whim, I applied because someone said there might be an opening here," said Latawiec. "The postmaster at that time called me in to have a talk, she showed me where everything was and said, 'can you come in tomorrow?'." 

"The ladies here knew me and when I dropped off my resume they told [the postmaster] that they knew me and that I would be a good worker, so I owe a lot to those ladies." 

Vegreville RCMP is investigating multiple complaints regarding a truck driving dangerously near Lamont County. 

On Saturday (June 17) police received reports of a Ford F-250 flat-deck truck driving erratically and ramming into vehicles while driving westbound on Highway 16. 

More instances involving this truck were reported near Vegreville and even entered Lamont County along Highway 834 and Highway 29. 

Eighteen-year-old Hunter Sousa from Maine celebrated his high school graduation by hopping in a truck and heading to Nova Scotia to fight the biggest forest fire in the province's history.

Sousa works for the Maine forest service as an on-call firefighter, but had never before fought a fire. The call from his superior came on a Thursday.